My musings, reflections on life here in Shiloh, Israel. Original, personal, spiritual and political. Peace, security and Israeli sovereignty. While not a "group blog," Shiloh Musings includes the voices of other Jews in The Land of Israel.
**Copyright(C)BatyaMedad ** For permission to use these in publications of any sort, please contact me directly. Private accredited distribution encouraged.
Thank you.

JBlog Carnival Updates, HH, KCC & JPIX

Friday, November 11, 2016

Leonard Cohen, Z"L, Baruch Dayan Ha'emett

I really think it's good to take a break from politics, any country's politics, this morning.

mychordbook.com
I find it interesting that in his later years, he performed wearing a hat.

Yes, Leonard Cohen, Z"L, has passed away. Not being a fan of American '60's Folk Music, I can't say that I've been a fan of Leonard Cohen or an expert when it comes to his music, but I did admire his use of traditional Jewish texts for some of his songs.

I even used one of his songs in the classroom when I taught in the yeshiva high school in Beit El.

And who by fire, who by water,who in the sunshine, who in the night time,who by high ordeal, who by common trial,who in your merry merry month of may,who by very slow decay,and who shall I say is calling?

And who in her lonely slip, who by barbiturate,who in these realms of love, who by something blunt,and who by avalanche, who by powder,who for his greed, who for his hunger,and who shall I say is calling?

And who by brave assent, who by accident,who in solitude, who in this mirror,who by his lady's command, who by his own hand,who in mortal chains, who in power,and who shall I say is calling?

I would challenge my students to recognize the source of Cohen's inspiration, the Unetaneh Tokef prayer:On Rosh Hashanah it is inscribedAnd on Yom Kippur it is sealedHow many shall die and how many shall be bornWho shall live and who shall dieWho at the measure of days and who beforeWho by fire and who by waterWho by the sword and who by wild beastsWho by hunger and who by thirstWho by earthquake and who by plagueWho by strangling and who by stoningWho shall have rest and who shall go wanderingWho will be tranquil and who shall be harassedWho shall be at ease and who shall be afflictedWho shall become poor and who shall become richWho shall be brought low and who shall be raised high(credit for translation)

It's obvious that Cohen could not fully escape his Jewish background. My neighbor, Moshe Keinan, recorded a traditional Halleluya to Cohen's tune.